Forever and a Day
by Cendra
Summary: Gundam Wing/Escaflowne Crossover. The Gundam pilots have been summonded to Gaea instead of Hitomi...how will this effect Gaea's future, Van and the pilots themselves? (If you have seen the Fox Kids version of Escaflowne or other version, this will make


Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Boy from the Sky

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Escaflowne. I really wish I did, but reality'll get you ever time! This story is not written for profit, but merely for entertainment purposes! I have no money…I spend it all on Anime! (Ask my friends….) Please don't sue!

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Chapter Summary/Introduction:

The Gundam pilots are each in a time of indecision and wandering, not knowing what they should do. The Colonies have been targeted by OZ, thus forcing the pilots to go into hiding. Quatre and Duo, thanks to the help of the Magancs, are out of harms way…for now. Trowa is helping with Heero's newest "mission" and Wufei is lost, not knowing where he belongs in the balance of life.

Suddenly, an unexpected and strange occurrence has all of them thrust into a new adventure…

(This happens somewhere between Gundam Wing episodes 12 and 15.)

A. C. 195…

Heero sighed as he lowered his head to look down at his arms folded across his chest. The truck shook with every bump in the road and Trowa's hands clutched the steering wheel gently, keeping it on track with mysterious skill. He turned his face to look at his injured friend, his long, mahogany bangs covering one of his brilliant green eyes.

"What wrong?" he asked simply, neither his face nor his voice showing the concern his question contained. Heero gave him a side-ways glance, also void of any real emotion.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about what I'm going to do," he said simply and turned his face downward once again.

"Mm," Trowa nodded, not pursuing the matter further. 

It was uncanny how well the two seemed to understand each other, even with the simple, straight-to-the-point, no chit-chat talks they had.

Trowa's thoughts strayed as the pair continued to travel down the dirt road to Marseilles. He wondered about that other boy, Quatre was his name, wasn't it? He had gotten along with him, too. It was really strange…he had never had many friends before; he had never gotten along with people that well. Now, he had found two that really seemed to understand him…and then there was Catherine. A hint of a smile crept across his face, but it quickly disappeared. He wasn't used to smiling, so it was difficult to keep it up for long.

Heero's eyes didn't stray from his hands. For a single moment, he wondered about his reasoning in his newest mission. Would this work, going to Sylvia Noventa? He just had to wait and see. Hopefully, she was just as much a pacifist as her grandfather….

***

"Yo Quatre!" Duo said and flopped down into the co-pilot's seat of the Mobile Suit carrier. Quatre smiled at the American, his blue eyes sparkling with their usual innocence. Duo grinned back as he placed his feet on the console and leaned backwards.

"So, are the Gundams alright?" Quatre asked.

"Yeah, they're fine," Duo answered nonchalantly. He had just come back from checking on their Mobile Suits. It wouldn't be good if something happed to them and the Alliance or OZ found Duo and Quatre! A sudden growl erupted from Duo's stomach.

Quatre giggled as Duo turned almost crimson.

"So I'm hungry! We haven't eaten in a whole two days!" the braided boy argued in defense. Quatre smiled disarmingly.

"Yes, I know. I'm rather hungry myself, Duo," he said kindly, "but we can't risk landing to get more food right now. If we were caught, it would have been a complete waste of the Magnacs efforts to help us escape." Duo nodded.

"I know," he admitted. He rubbed the back of his head and stared into oblivion. "I wonder if Heero's still alive," he said unexpectedly. Quatre blinked and gave him a side-ways glance. Where'd that come from?

"Why do you say that?" he asked. Duo shrugged.

"I don't know. It's just that I keep thinking about how he self-detonated. It's hard to forget something like that, ya know?" Quatre nodded.

"Yes, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it, either. But, if I know Heero, he's still alive. It's just not like him to die that easily," he said. Duo looked at him in surprise.

"How do you know that? You only met him, like, once!" Duo pointed out. Quatre shot him his sweet, innocent grin.

"I can just feel it," he replied simply, then thought, _it's the Soul of Outer Space that's telling me, I know it!_

"Whatever you say," Duo said, still a little dumb-founded.

***

Wufei sat peacefully in meditation. He was weak. There had to be a way to get stronger.

The water lapped up around his feet as he opened his eyes and looked up towards the sky. It really was a beautiful place, where he sat: the quiet river flowing around the rock that held him, the calling of the gulls circling through the blue sky, Nataku standing proudly, her unseeing eyes staring into space as if expecting something to happen any moment. Wufei took a deep breath. It still reminded him of Merian, the way Nataku stood…so tall and proud and knowing.

A sudden rustle in the bushes on the bank of the river interrupted his thoughts. A small, gray rabbit scurried out and tiptoed cautiously to the water's edge. It raised its nose and sniffed the air, aware of the unusual presence of Wufei. Wufei smiled. _Smart rabbit_, he thought and rose from the rock.

The rabbit saw this movement and bolted back to the bushes. Wufei sighed. Retreating was the rabbit's way of defense. This did not make him weak…or did it?

***

Trowa slammed on the brakes, sending both him and Heero onto the dashboard. Both pilots' heads rested on it for a moment before Heero raised his to look at his driving companion.

"Why did you do that?" he asked, rather accusingly. Trowa's eyes flickered with panic for a moment before they became once again their usual clear green as he returned Heero's glance.

"That…that boy…" he whispered and pointed to the road ahead of them. The truck had swerved and was now on a 45-degree angle to the road. Heero looked quickly, knowing that Trowa wasn't the kind of person to make things up.

Standing directly in front of them was a boy, about their age, who was wearing old-fashioned armor, similar to the kind you'd see in a history book, and holding a sword ready to attack. He spun around in circles, realizing that something was wrong…he wasn't in his native land.

He suddenly seemed to notice the truck and his eyes narrowed. _Is this some kind of unusual dragon?_ he wondered to himself. He had never seen anything like it!

Heero and Trowa opened their car doors and jumped out, confused by the stranger in front of them.

The boy raised his sword until it was in front of his face, his eyes looking over the top of it, ready to attack these two people who were slowly approaching him.

"Who are you?" he hissed at Heero and Trowa, who both stared at him blankly, their faces showing nothing. Trowa took a step forward.

"We were about to ask you the same thing," he countered calmly. The unknown boy's eyes narrowed again and his grip tightened on his sword.

"Answer me, bakas!" he yelled again, his eyes filled with anger. Trowa started to argue with him again, but Heero placed a restraining hand on his shoulder, signifying that Trowa should let it go…for now. The boy didn't wait for a response.

"You won't tell me who you are? Fine! Then tell me where I am!" he yelled testily…the Gundam pilots could tell that he was a bossy thing, but Heero nodded.

"You're on a road just outside of Marseilles," he said, just as calmly as Trowa. The boy sent them a glare.

"Marseilles?" he said, ready to call them liars and tell them there was no such place, but then looked at the sky. "Where—where is this??? This isn't Gaea!" His guard dropped and he searched frantically for something familiar to him, his sword resting at his side, still gripped tightly in his hand. Slowly, he scanned the layout of the mountainside on which the road was placed, but recognized nothing. A sudden jerk of his head notified the pilots of yet another intrusion, this time noticed by the boy.

"What?" Trowa said and shielded his eyes to the sun as he saw a small Mobile Suit carrier in the distance.

"Why is a Mobile Suit carrier in this area? Neither OZ nor the Alliance would be traveling this way…." Heero replied, and the boy looked at the two in confusion. What in the world were they talking about?

***

Five minutes previous to Trowa and Heero's encounter with the strange boy…

"Duo! Look!" Quatre yelped suddenly, almost knocking Duo out of his seat after scaring him out of his catnap.

"Hm?" he asked groggily and squinted through tired eyes towards the sky in front of them.

"What's that light?" Quatre inquired, and Duo suddenly became more awake than ever.

"No—no way!" he stuttered. There, before them, the sky ripped open and revealed a large, black hole filled with electricity. The electricity bounced back and forth inside of it as if it were a bouncy-ball that a four-year-old had just chucked as hard as he could against a brick wall. Suddenly, the electricity combined into one large, blue bolt that extended to the side of a small mountain a little to the right of the plane's course. It quickly subsided after about 30 seconds.

Quatre gently nudged the joystick of the carrier in that direction. Duo grinned with excitement.

"So, we going to see what that was, huh, Q-Man?" he asked, his voice giddy with the outlook of adventure.

"You bet," Quatre replied.

***

Wufei stopped abruptly in his tracks as a blue pillar of light extended from the sky. It seemed to kiss the earth before it retreated back into the heavenly fathoms from which it came.

His eyes widened in astonishment. It was a sign that was meant for him. He could feel it burning deep down inside him like a raging fire that must have been ignited by the spark of light itself.

Quickly, he took off at a sprint in the direction of the light, not knowing what he was going to find, but hoping beyond hope for _something_….

***

Present time…

Quatre maneuvered the carrier towards the mountain, circling above the general area searching for a place to land and investigate.

Duo's face was plastered to the window as he tried to get the best look he could at the area below.

"Oh! There! There's a spot, Quatre!" he squealed excitedly and pointed to an open field about 100 yards from where the light had struck. Quatre nodded and pulled the carrier around, landing as gently as he could on the rough ground.

Duo's braid whipped from behind him to in front of his face and laid there, the tail of it brushing his chin. He turned to Quatre and gave him a look that resembled that of Heero Yuy's glare, but not quite as deadly and much more playful.

"Whiplash?" he said incredulously. Quatre grinned sheepishly.

"Just a little," he replied and the two of them laughed, Duo flipping his long, chestnut brown hair back.

"Well, we better go," Quatre said, interrupting their laughter, and Duo nodded.

The two boys unbuckled the restraints which held them in their seats and jumped down from the plane onto the soft, sweet-smelling grass below. Duo fell to the ground and rolled, helping to absorb the shock, while Quatre just fell to his knees. The pair stalked silently to the spot where the light had struck…or at least where they thought it had struck. 

Duo fingered the gun stuffed in his shirt gingerly as the two stepped onto the road, hoping to use it as a better way to travel then trail-blazing. The wind rustled in the bushes that bordered the road, but there was nothing else…except a large object that obstructed the path just ahead. 

"Let's check it out," Quatre said, knowing that Duo had also seen the shadowy figure. The braided boy nodded and gave Quatre a playful grin.

"I think it's time for Shinigami to make yet another appearance!" he chuckled to himself as his blonde companion lead the way. 

The two approached slowly, finding a large truck blocking the road, on it a mobile suit of some sort. Curious, Duo and Quatre inspected.

"I don't see anyone, Duo," Quatre said as he rounded in front of the vehicle and opened the door to the driver's side. There was no one in sight, not in the car or on the road.

Duo bent down and examined the dirt near the tires of the truck, noticing skid marks.

"It looks like this was an accident," he remarked, more to himself than to anyone else. Meanwhile, Quatre had climbed onto the bed of the truck and was lifting up the tarp to reveal the odd mobile suit beneath it.

"What? Heavyarms?" Quatre whispered when suddenly a hand fell over his mouth and a strong arm clutched him so that he couldn't move. _Oh no! Duo must be in trouble, too!,_ he thought as his breathing quickened. 

Duo squatted down and laid his hand on the back tire…it was still warm from the friction. _Where's the person who…_he didn't have time to finish his thought. A click from behind alerted him to a gun being held to his head. Slowly, Duo lifted his hands up to the sky and straightened. There was no notification that there was anyone else…no breathing, no footsteps, no sound at all. Duo wondered where Quatre was.

"Turn around," a deep, rough voice husked. Duo recognized the voice immediately and slowly spun around until he was staring down the barrel of the black gun held by Heero Yuy. A mischievous grin spread across Duo's lips.

"So…still holding a grudge, huh?" he asked sarcastically as his violet eyes met the Japanese boy's dark blue ones. Heero said nothing, but the gun didn't move. "You know, I didn't really mean to shoot you or anything…."

"Quatre?" Trowa asked and released the Blonde from his grip. Quatre spun around instantly and smiled, his blue eyes sparkling.

"Trowa!" he yelped excitedly. "I didn't know what had happened to you after that battle. Where's Heero…is he with you?" Trowa remained as unemotional as ever, but nodded. Quatre beamed. "Oh good! I'm so glad he's still alive!"

Suddenly, Heero came into view from the back of the truck, Duo at gunpoint. The American looked outraged as he was marched towards the others.

"How come _he _doesn't get a gun to his head?" he remarked in defiance as he saw Quatre, free as a bird. Heero just grunted, but replaced his revolver after seeing Quatre, also.

"That's a little better," Duo continued, "and to think that I was worrying about you…." This remark caught Heero off-guard and his eyes widened a little. The American didn't notice this and crossed his arms angrily, turning his back on Heero and walked over to the other two Gundam pilots.

"Trowa…did you see that light earlier?" Quatre asked and Trowa blinked.

"Yes, Quatre…."

Almost on cue, yet another boy appeared from the bushes that were just off the road. This boy was the one who was clad in armor. His sword had been replaced in its sheath after a warning from Trowa. Heero didn't really care what happened to this strange person…he was obviously an enemy.

"Who's that?" Duo asked no one in particular and thrust his thumb at the newcomer. Heero ignored the remark and Trowa shrugged. Quatre smiled kindly at him.

"My name is Quatre Raberba Winner," he said politely and the boy scoffed. Quatre was a little taken back. _He must not approve of my family's position_, he thought.

"At least one of you will show me the respect I deserve as the Prince of Fanelia," the boy said pompously. All four blinked. Prince?!

"Hey there, kid. I don't know who you think you are, but if you're calling us idiots or something, you better not take that armor off or else you'll wish you had it on!" Duo called to him and cracked his knuckles in an intimidating manner. The boy reached for his sword.

"You dare talk like that to someone who will soon be King?" he threatened. Duo arched an eyebrow angrily.

"Where'd you say you were from? Cause the last time I checked there was no such place as Fanelia!"

"You little…!" the boy yelled and reached for his sword to charge this unappreciative stranger, but was stopped by a long, broad sword to his neck.

"Saving your skin again, Maxwell? That seems to be all I'm good for anymore," Wufei sneered as he held his katana to the boy's throat.

"I would have been fine, Wufei!" Duo countered just as Quatre stepped in.

"Please everyone! This isn't right…we are all on the same side. We shouldn't be fighting against each other," he pleaded. "Maybe we should find out who this is and what he wants," Quatre suggested hastily, because Wufei looked ready to cut the boy's head off.

"Fine," Wufei hissed and dropped his sword, "but if he tries anything, he's mine." Trowa and Heero nodded as Quatre turned to the stranger and signaled for him to talk. The boy adjusted his armor uncomfortably.

"I am Van Slanzar de Fanel, the prince of Fanelia. I had been fighting with a dragon to retrieve its energist when a pillar of blue light engulfed me…and the next thing I knew I was here," he said stiffly. A sudden look of horror filled his eyes. "If I'm here, then the dragon is sure to be coming too!" He gulped at the realization.

No sooner had he spoken those last words than another bolt of blue light shot down to the ground, ripping a black hole in the air. Through the hole came a large, lizard-like creature that had only two legs and a long tail with a sharp blade on the end. 

Van drew his sword before anyone, even Wufei, could react. For a moment, the dragon just stared at the six, the light and the hole gone. Only the lizard's breathing could be heard. Its eyes darted from one figure to another, finally connecting with Van's crimson red eyes. His black hair swayed gently in the breeze as he dug one foot into the ground.

There was no time to think before the dragon lunged at the prince. The five Gundam pilots scattered a little, not knowing what to do. Van held his sword up and caught the dragon's front leg, dribbling green blood on the road. 

The pilots watched in silent horror; each had their own thoughts. This boy is strong—justice will prevail…Hn…He seems to be trapped in his mind and his world…Check out that hair!…He's very agile.

"Die beast!" Van yelled as the dragon pounced on him, its belly exposed to Van's blade, which sunk deep into its warm flesh. The gash sprayed sticky, smelly goo everywhere as the creature stumbled to a halt and collapsed onto the ground. Van was breathing heavy and his sword was lying at his side, his hand clutched so tightly around it that his knuckles had turned white.

The dragon's corpse stunk to high heaven and Duo wasn't about to just live with it.

"Holy crap! That thing smells awful! You aren't just going to leave it there, are you?" he asked Van accusingly, but yet again got no response. 

Van crept slowly to the animal's chest, about where the heart would be, the pilots assumed, and raised his sword again. This time, the pilots saw all the nicks and scratches on it reflected in the sunlight. Van plunged it into the dragon's flesh and peeled it apart, revealing a red glowing rock-type thing that the pilots assumed to be the dragon's heart.

The prince of Fanelia clutched the rock in his hand and ripped it out, making a really disgusting sound. Quatre cringed...he didn't like killing, even if it was dragon that was trying to eat them. In an instant, the corpse began to dissolve.

Duo sighed. He could breath again!

"Nice combat," Heero said simply in his monotone voice. Van grinned a little.

"I'd say thank you, but that's the least you could say to me since you took me hostage," Van retorted. Duo spoke up.

"From what I've heard and seen, the only person who did anything even close to taking _you_ hostage was Wufei. Of course, me and Quatre on the other hand…." Duo's sentence trailed off accusingly and he shot a glare at Heero, who didn't even seem to notice.

"Even thought I was treated very unrespectably, I will give all of you something for involving you in my battle," Van continued, "but I don't even know who to give it to." At the aspect of gifts, Duo didn't wait for anyone else to start the introductions.

"My name is Duo Maxwell," he said cheerfully, "I may run and hide, but I never tell a lie. That's me in a nutshell!" With that, he placed his fists on his hips and grinned broadly. No one else said anything, so Duo took over the talking once again.

"This here guy is Heero Yuy…he's got a killer stare and a killer personality…literally." Heero grunted at this, his arms crossed. Duo shrugged and continued. "That's Trowa Barton. He's quiet, but he's great in a fight. You've met Quatre," Duo said as he pointed to each individual. He moved his hands towards Wufei. "That's—"

"I don't need you to introduce me, Maxwell," Wufei hissed, his shiny black hair even shinier in the mid-day sun. "I am Chang Wufei." Wufei rubbed his hand against the flat of his sword.

Van nodded, seemingly satisfied.

"Now, I'll give you your rewards as soon as I can find a way back to my castle," he replied, his voice containing a hint disdainfulness. The dragon's red heart was still clutched in his hand, his sword in the other. 

"We'd do anything to help you and your kingdom, Van, I assure you, but—" Quatre began, but was cut off by Wufei.

"Speak for yourself," he scoffed. Quatre stared at him, his big, blue eyes filled with a look that was a mixture of anger, concern and a little bit of annoyance.

"But," he continued, slightly agitated by Wufei's disrespect, "we don't know how." 

Suddenly, another pillar of blue light shot forth from the heavens, engulfing the six in its beam and raising them up off the ground. Without a sound, they were whisked away into the heavens and to a new land that held for them an adventure they had never imagined would, or could, happen….


End file.
